|
 At
the time of accession to throne on the
25th January, 1912 A.D., Maharaja Ripudaman
Singh, after performing the prayer to
Guru Granth Sahib, had himself donned
the sword, symbolising authority to
rule. He did not get some British officer
to bestow on him the symbol to Govern
as was the custom. In his state, a Singh
wearing a sword and black turban could
move freely although it was banned by
the British government. The day of the
20th February was dedicated to the memory
of the martyrs of Nankana Sahib in the
state of Nabha the responsibility of
which happening lay on the Government.
How could the British Government tolerate
such a patriot on the throne?
The British Government was looking
for an excuse to reomve him from the
throne. The Maharaja of Patiala abducted
a girl named Rajni from Nabha state.
A quarrel arose between those two on
account of that girl. Taking advantage
of the oppurtunity, the British government
dethroned the Maharaja of Nabha on the
9th July, 1923 A.D., and sent him to
Dehradun with a yearly allowance of
three hundred thousand rupees.
There was great unrest among the people
of the state on the dethronement of
the Maharaja. In this connection the
Sikhs organised an 'Akhand Path' (continuous
recitation of Guru Granth Sahib) in
Gurdwara Gangsar in Jaito Mandi between
25th and 27th August, 1923 A.D. The
police started taking down the names
of those coming to the congregation
and threatened those who brought rations
for the 'langar' (free kitchen). The
devotees kept coming to the Gurdwara
inspite of this kind of attitude of
the police. On the 27th August, the
police arrested Sardar Inder singh Maur
from the presence of Guru Granth Sahib
without any warrant. The arrest of a
Sikh in presence of Guru Granth Sahib
became a religious matter for the Sikhs.
The 'Sangat' (Sikh Devotees) decided
that a chain of 'Akhand Paths' should
be continued as long as the Government
does not stop interference. The Shiromani
Committee started sending squads of
Singhs for the 'Akhand Paths' from Amritsar
from the 1st September.
The Sikhs took out processions in the
Sikh states and the towns of Punjab
on the 9th September, 1923 A.D., to
show their resentment against the interference
of the Government. On the 14th September,
policemen arrested those sitting in
congregation, attendants and the reciter
sitting in attendance of Guru Granth
Sahib from Gurdwara Gangsar. The Shiromani
Committee stated sending a squad of
twenty-five singhs daily from Amritsar
from the 15th September. Before the
departure of the squad, the Singhs were
asked to take the pledge. "My aim
is to restart the interrupted 'Akhand
Path' in Gurdwara Gangsar and to keep
it going in the Gurdwara independently
and collectively in the form of congregation
according to Sikh tradition. If in doing
so, I have to face hardship and trouble
at the hands of the Government officials,
I shall bear all very politely and without
lifting my hand to strike."
The Government arrested those squads
before they reached Gangsar. The Singhs
of the squads were beaten up, kept hungry
for two days at a stretch and lef off
in the forest of Nabha. On the 13th
October, the leaders of Shiromani committee
and Akali Dal were arrested on the 7th
January, 1923 A.D. The Government was
of the view that the agitation would
fail by the arrest of the members of
the committee but contrary to their
views the agitation intersified further.
On the 9th February, 1924 A.D., the
first martyr squad of five hundred Singhs
saffron attire marched from 'Sri Akal
Takht'. A band preceded the squad followed
by five beloved ones with saffron flags
(Nishan Sahib). The palanquin of Guru
Granth Sahib was in the middle folowed
by the squad of martyrs in the lines
of four. This squad was proceeding towards
Gangsar reciting hymns, shouting slogans
and holding congregations on the way.
The people were serving the squad with
milk, water, sweets and fruits, etc.
although the Government was exerting
great pressure on people not to serve
them.
When the squad reached near Tibbi Sahib
on the 21st February, a British officer
said ,"Stop, otherwise there will
be firing." The squad kept on moving
forward. The officer ordered to open
fire. Firing continued from three sides
for five minutes. Bearing the brunt
of fire the squad continued to advance.
As firing stopped, mounted soldiers
and police beat the surviving members
of the squad, tied them with ropes and
took them inside the fort. Seven hundred
singhs were arrested that day, about
two hundred were injured and one hundred
attained martyrdom.
after the arrest of the squad of martyrs,
the rulers of Nabha set up a special
torture chamber in which the leading
singhs were taken and tortured. they
were hung feet up and were hit on the
genitals. They were kept naked outside
in cold. Inspite of these tortures on
the Singhs, every time more Singhs presented
themselves for the next squads than
were asked by the Committee. Singhs
came from as far off as Canada, Hongkong,
Shanghai to join the Squads. After firing
on the first squad of martyrs, this
'Morcha' (agitation) became an international
movement.
The sixteenth squad of martyrs of five
hundred Singhs started from 'Sri Akal
Takht' on the 17th April, 1925 A.D.,
Before that Squad had reached Gurdwara
Gangsar, Sri Malcolm Heely, the Governor
of Punjab gave approval to the Gurdwara
Act on the 11th July, 1925 A.D. All
the Akalis were released on the 27th
July. Freedom to hold 'Akhand Path'
at Jaito was obtained after one year
and ten months.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Copyright © Santokh Singh Jagdev"Bed
Time Stories"
|
